The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-11-11

at their Wits end. They sail by no chart
they watch no star, they long for NO har.
Dor. beg every young man to-day 20
draw out sketch OF what BY the grace OF
God, he means to be, though IN excellenee
20 high that you can mot reach It He who
starts out in life with . high ideal OF
character, and faith in its attainment, viii
find himself incased from . thousand
temptations.
There are magnificent possibilities be-
fore each of you young men of the stout
heart and the buoyant step and the
bounding spirit. would marshal you
| for grand achievement. God now pro-
vides for you the fleet and the armor and
| the Notifications; who ID on the Lords
side?
The captain Of the xouaves in ancient
| times, to encourage them against the im-
mense odds on the side Of their enemies,
| said: "Come, my men, look these fellows
| in the face. They are six thou
| sand; you are three hundred.
Surely the match il even" That speech
gave them the victory. Be not, my hearer,
dismayed at anv time BY what seems an
| immense odds against you. Is
| fortune, IL want Of education. are
| men, are devils against you. Though
| the multitudes Of earth and hell confront
| you. stand up to the charge. With .
| million against you. the match is just
| even. Nay, you have q decided advan-
| tage. II God be for US, who can b.
| against us: Thus protected, you need not
spend much time in answering your as
sailants.
| Many years ago word came to me THAI
| two impostors, as temperance lecturers,
had been speaking in Ohio in various
places. and ri wing their experiences; AMI
| they told their audience that they hal
| long been intimate with me, and had be-
come drunkards bv dining at NV table,
where 1 always had liquors Of all sorts.
Indignant to the last degree, I went down
to Patrick Campbell, chief Of Brooklyn
police. saving was going to start that
| night for Ohio to have these villains ar.
| rested, and wanted him to tell me how
to make an arrest. He smiled and said:
"Do not waste your time by chasing these
| men. Go home and do your work and
they can do you no harm" took his
counsel, and all was well. Long ago
made up nv mind that IL one will put his
trust in God, and be faithful to duty, he
| need not fear any evil. Have God on
your side. Young man. and all the COM
bined forces on earth and kell can do you
no damage.
And this leads me to say that the
| mightiest Of all defense for q young man
| is the possession Of thorough religious
principle. Nothing can take the place Of
it. He may have manners that would rut
to shame the gracefulness and courtesy
80 7 Gall L. n
NAV drop from his tongue. He may be
able to discuss literature. and laws, and
foreign customs. He may WELD a pen of
urequaled polish and power. His quick.
ness and tact may qualify him for the
highest salary of the counting house. He
may be as sharp "a Herod and as strong as
Samson, with as fine locks as those which
hung Ab=alom. still he Is not safe from
combinations. The more elegant his
manner, and the more fascinating his
dress, the more peril. Satan does not care
much for the allegiance of a coward and
an illiterate being. He can bring him into
| efficient service. But he loves to storm
that castle Of character which has in IL
the most spoils and treasures. It was not
some crazy craft creeping along the coast
with a valueless cargo thu { the pirate at
tackled but the ship, flll-winged and
tagged, plying between great ports, car
rying its million Of specie.
The more your natural and acquired &C.
complishments the more need of the re-
ligion of Jesus. That does not cut in mp
on or hack up any smoOthness OF DISPOSE
tion or behavior. 1t gives symmetry. II
arrests that in the soul which ought to be
arrested, and propels that which ought to
be propelled. 1t fills up the gulleys. 1t
elevates and transforms. To beauty II
gives more beauty, TO tact more tact, to
enthusiasm Of nature more enthusiasm.
When tho Holy Spirit impresses the image
of God on the heart He does not spoil the
canvas. II in all the multitudes
Of young men upon whom religion
has acted you could find one ma.
ture that had been the least dam.
LACED I would yield this proposition. You
may now have enough strength Of charac.
ter to repel the various temptations to
gross wickedness which assail you, but
do not know IN what strait you may be
thrust at some future time. Nothing
short of the grace of the cross may then be
able to deliver you from the lions. You
are not meeker than Moses, nor boiler
than David, nor more patient than job
and you ought not to consider yourself in.
valuable. You may have some weak poin,
Of character that you have not discovered,
and in some hour when you are assaulted
the Philistine will be upon thee, Samson.
Trust not in your good habits, or your
earlv training, or your pride Of character
nothing short OF the arm OF the Almighty
|, God will be sufficient to uphold you. You
look forward to the world sometimes with
q chilling dependency. Cheer up!
L A,n Ia -,
Seek first the kingdom Of God and His right
eousness. and all other things will be added
unto you.
. 1 know you do not want to be mean in
this matter. Give God the freshness OF
!. your life. You will not have the hear,
to drink down the trimming cup Of
life and then pour ont the dregs on God's
altar. To q Saviour so infinitely gen.
erous you have not the heart to act like
that. That is not brave, that is not hon
CRADLE, that is not manly. Your creates,
; want in all the world is a new heart. In
Gods name I tell you that. And the
Blessed Spirit presses through the solem.
mites and privileges Of this holy hour
Put the cup Of life eternal to your thirsty
lips. Thrust it not back. Mercy offers it
bleeding mercy, long-suffering mercy.
Reject all other friendships, be ungratefu
for all other kindness, prove recreant to
all other bargains, but despise Gods love
for your immortal soul-don't you do that
! would like to see some of you thi;
hour press out Of the ranks Of the world
and lay your conquered spirit at the feet
Of Jesus. This~hour is no wandering
vagabond staggering over the earth, it is
q winged messenger Of the skies whisper
ing mercy to thy soul. Life is smooth
now, but after awhile it may be rough
| wild and precip;tous. There comes {